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ble, and costly. However, the introductions of both computers and Internet to the schools, now, computer simulations have been integrated into physics course as laboratory experimentations, near hand-on experiments.

When we look at the historical development in the application of laboratory works, along the 1970s, reviews of research in science education report that laboratory instruction based on hands-on experimentation improves students’ conceptual understanding in science, but during the 1980s to today, the use of the computer as laboratory applications has demonstrated to be successful in overcoming misconceptions and in promoting conceptual understanding (Thornton, 1987; Choi and Gennaro, 1987; De Jong et al., 1999; Steinberg, 2000; Lunetta, 2003; Hofstein and Lunetta, 2004; Finkelstein, Adams, Keller, Kohl, Perkins, Podolefsky, Reid, & LeMaster, 2005).

As a result, although the goal of the laboratory work does not show any change in terms of supporting physics learning, the modification in the application of laboratory shows how technology is used as an alternative method to science learning, especially, by the use of computer simulation integrated experimentation.

The Use of Computer Technology to Support Learning in Physics Education

Computer technology has an effective potential on learning and a long this time a variety of computer applications have also been developed and used in teaching physics, such as spreadsheets, modeling, multimedia, simulations, tutorials, Internet and microcomputer-based laboratories. Besides, computer hardware and software have been developed for use in the science laboratory. However, according to Bernhard (2007), we must analyze the role of developing computer technology in physics education to understand and to use effectively the full potential of it. To explore supporter approaches to the use of computer simulations integrated physics laboratories, in this section; I analyzed the use of computer simulations as opposed to hands-on experimentation of physics learning from the literature.

Computer Simulated Experimentation versus Hands-on Experimentation

Laboratory experiments in physics education have a vital and central role on learning and teaching. In laboratory applications based on hands-on experience, students participate to the lecture actively and accordingly, their active participation encourages the meaningful learning of them (Edelson, 1998). Although hands-on experimentations present concrete experiences and opportunities to cope with student difficulties, using real materials during experiment process causes to consume time during instruction (Nussbaum & Novick, 1982; Lazarowitz & Tamir, 1994; Lunetta, 2003). For instance, if we look at the time duration for a single laboratory session, it is not possible for high school students to complete investigations of an activity that is students cannot initiate, conclude and understand the activity in such one laboratory session of time.

Choi and Gennaro (1987) explored the effectiveness of the use of computer simulations integrated laboratory applications, to compare with the hands-on laboratory experiences to increase the conceptual understanding of volume displacement in junior high school students. In addition, the sex of the students used as independent variable and the researchers